


the very instant i saw you

by crownuponherhead



Series: jonsa historical event [2]
Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: 17th Century, Alternate Universe - Historical, F/M, References to Shakespeare, jacobean court
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-27 16:11:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15028316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crownuponherhead/pseuds/crownuponherhead
Summary: she however stands near the queen, but not too close, her bright red hair is pinned up above her head with what looks like pearls. he’s heard whispers that she may be the sister if lord stark, a scot who came down to london to be on the King’s council.a shakespeare/jacobean court au for the jonsa historical event





	the very instant i saw you

**Author's Note:**

> this took me too long??? my og day 2 was taking too much time so i had to write a new day 2 and had to find a new time period and i was like !!!!! what do i do !!!! and idk much about jacobean life or shakespeare life so like wow this is probs the MOST historically inaccurate thing i will ever write.
> 
> also the title is a reference to the line from the tempest which i haven't read. but like i need to. "hear my soul speak: the very instant that i saw you, did my heart fly to your service."

The first time he sees  _ Her _ is at the court performance of  _ The Merry Wives of Windsor, _ fittingly at Windsor. He’d had to help haul a set and some costumes the thirty miles from The Globe to Windsor castle, he thinks the grumblings are enough that Shakespeare himself will hopefully only do performances closer to London.  _ She _ however stands near the Queen, but not too close, her bright red hair is pinned up above her head with what looks like pearls. He’s heard whispers that she may be the sister if Lord Stark, a Scot who came down to London to be on the King’s council. That until the marriage between Lord Stark and his betrothed Lady Margaery from Kent that she’s Lady Stark and close to Queen Anne herself. He believes it. She looks like a Queen in her own right, the way her silk gowns looks in contrast to the embroidered jacket the ladies of court have begun to wear. She’s a sight. 

* * *

 

The second time he sees her they’re at St. James Palace. As he sits off to the corner in his best clothes he catches the way she sits on the edge of her seat during  _ Macbeth.  _ There are people at court who get bored or only go to please the monarch. He’s seen it happen as the courtiers switched between Elizabeth I’s to James I’s court. This young woman doesn’t though, the talk is that she had a failed betrothal from the French court where she’d been a courtier of Henry IV’s wife Marie de Medici. Her brother sending for her to come to London at the news. He’s caught her name too, Lady Sansa Stark of Rothesay. What he hasn’t figured out is how some French bastard could let a beauty like her go. 

* * *

 

It’s been ten court appearances and he swears everyone that gets a check from Shakespeare or The Globe knows of his fascination.  The last one was the worst, the teasing as they set up the set for The Tempest was almost unbearable

 

“Oi! You think you’ll do something besides stare at your Lady tonight?”

 

Jon grunts in response hitting a nail again with a hammer. 

 

“You could always speak to her.” Sam’s voice makes him turn his head. With a scoff he shakes his head. 

 

“No, I couldn’t. She’s a highborn lady the likes of your family, not some bastard who sets up the sets for William Shakespeare.” 

 

No one addresses him about it again that night. He sits off in the corner watching the show and letting his eyes steal glances of her. Lady Sansa is next to her brother’s new wife, the new Lady Stark. Her hair is still in a style similar to Queen Anne who she’s not too far away from and her gowns are a soft grey blue silk without the jacket, it’s closer to the style he guesses would be of the French. The wheel skirt and low cut sleeves partnered with a lace collar. It’s beautiful. She’s beautiful. It’s in his distraction her eyes meet his and an improper smile for the tragic scene playing out crosses her lips before disappearing. 

 

* * *

  
  


“I would like to go see a show at the Globe.” Robb looks up confused as he watches his sister glides into the study. 

 

“We just saw a Shakespeare show last week when we were at court, Sans.” The look that crosses her face is one he’s come to know since she first started making it as a child, one that questioned why it was an issue. “Can you not wait until the King and Queen invite us back to court for another show?” 

 

“You’re being ridiculous Robb, I just want to be a cultured woman.” 

 

“You spent five years in France, is that not enough culture?” 

 

“It is obviously not enough to get a husband!” 

 

Robb stops arguing at that. He knows that the rejection from that Joffrey bastard had been a lot on her. Not to mention the men that had been wishing to court her lately. She had been happiest on the nights at court seeing the plays. He’d just assumed it was the way the Queen seemed to favor her until his wife spoke of it. The joy she’d seen on Sansa’s face had been enough for him to hope that things would start looking up for his sister. “We can go tomorrow night. It’ll give you something to look forward to.” 

 

A grin broke across her face as she ran to hug him. He swears her grin is infectious. “Thank you! Thank you!” 

 

He wishes his younger sister could smile that way all the time.

 

* * *

  
  


“Why do you really want to go to The Globe? You said just last week the play Shakespeare’s putting on right now sounds boring.” At the sound of Margaery questioning her as she looks through her wardrobe, Sansa blushes a bit. 

“Well,” She pauses and turns to look at her brother wife who is smirking at her from the doorway. “I’ve caught this man, awfully mysterious, staring at me at each court showing. I asked Lady Darcy if she knew who he was, as she and her daughters attend Shakespeare’s plays regularly. Lady Darcy says he works for Shakespeare, does the carpentry sometimes,  helps moves the sets, and I just thought maybe I could go to The Globe and it wouldn’t be wrong to approach or if he approached me. It’s not court he doesn’t have to stay quiet.” 

 

Hiding her face against the wardrobe she sighed frustrated. She stood in just her chemise, her hair still hanging down her back. It wasn’t until Margaery’s hand was on her shoulder that she looked up. 

 

“Sans, my sister, we’ll make it work, I can distract your brother if needed. I believe I happen to be very good at that part.” At the sound of her words and the laugh escaping her sister’s lips, Sansa laughed too and took a step back. 

 

“What do I wear? Robb said not anything like I would to court.” 

 

* * *

 

 

“Have you looked through the crowd, lover boy?” Tormund’s voice makes him turn with a roll of his eyes. 

 

“Why would I?” They’re off to the side away from the stage and in no one’s way. They’re just there in case something breaks.

 

“The redhead in the box up there looks an awful lot like your Lady and she’s scanning the crowd.” Jon’s head snaps as he follows his friends gaze to the box. It’s her, she’s dressed more demurely, surely to fit in. She isn’t though as she sits in a box in the theater, one of the best too. She looks gorgeous, she couldn’t look any more gorgeous if she tried. But then she smiles, and it’s directed at him, it’s then he notices that their eyes have met. “Are you just gonna stand there with your tongue out, boy?” 

 

He watches as she whispers something to her brother’s new wife, and start to exit the box. Moving through towards the front of the theater he looks a bit in shock to see her standing at the bottom of the staircase. 

 

“M’lady,” He begins as he watches her approach.    
  


“What is your name?” She blushes then at her bluntness and shakes her head. “Forgive me, I just have notice your looks from my first show I attended and I would just like to know.” 

 

“Jon, Jon Snow.” A smile appears on her face at that and she nods. “I didn’t mean to stare at you, M’lady.” 

 

“It’s Sansa, no need to put any titles out when it’s just two people talking.” He feels like he’s going to explode in this very minute. Ladies of the King’s Court don’t socialize with Men like him. “And no need to apologize, I’ve stared at you too.”

 

* * *

 

“You’re doing the right thing,” Margaery voices as she rocks their child in her arms. Robb isn’t so sure. He knew that Sansa was friendly with Jon, especially when he started working for the King’s carpenter, but marriage. 

 

“Are we sure that they even want this?” It’s at his statement he hears his sisters laugh from down the hall. With a knowing look from his wife, he can’t help but agree. “They love each other don’t they?” 

 

He watches as Margaery moves to shut the door handing their son to a maid. “My love, let me tell you a story, I think it will compare to the likes of Shakespeare.” 

 


End file.
